1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a separation apparatus, and more particularly to a separation passageway module, a separation unit, and a separation boat for suspension separation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Usually, an inclined settling separation apparatus is used in water purifying plants or drainage treatment plants. The inclined settling separation apparatus sets in a suspension separation tank filled with suspension to form separation passageways and to draw out clear liquid generated at the lower part of the inclined plates. Many inclined plates are provided at the bottom and the more the total area of the inclined plates, the faster the generating speed of the clear liquid. Therefore, treatment ability to the separation tank can be increased. Thus, even suspended particles with very slow precipitation speed can be separated.
Japanese published patent application No. 2005-169380 discloses a suspension separation apparatus comprising a plurality of slanted separation passageways three-dimensionally arranged in a suspension separation tank to enhance treatment ability. In addition, it is very easy to exchange the separation passageways. Thus, the separation passageways can be under maintenance or repair while the apparatus is in operation. On the other hand, the quantity of the separation passageways in the suspension separation tank can be increased or decreased, depending on the amount of the suspension, so as to have flexibility in treatment ability.
However, in designing the practical dimension for the separation passageway module, the mass of the module becomes very large. For example, stainless steel plates are used to make the main body of the module with a dimension of 1 m×1 m×2 m and the mass of the module will be about 100˜240 kgs. In the case of having large mass, if the separation passageway module drops into the suspension separation tank due to malfunction in installation or operation, the separation passageway module or the suspension separation tank may be damaged. Besides, equipments, such as the scraper provided at the bottom of the suspension separation tank for collecting sludge, may also be damaged. Therefore, in order to prevent the separation passageway module from dropping off, additional supporting objects are needed to secure the structural safety. However, if the supporting objects become clumsy and bulky, the module cannot be conveniently utilized and the cost is also increased.
In addition, in order to support the separation passageway module with large mass in the suspension separation tank, large supporting objects will be needed.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15, a truss girder 53 is required to be provided across two ends of a suspension separation tank 38 and separation passageway modules 54 are hung by a rope 55. Supporting objects, like the truss girder 53, take a lot of space. Thus, the quantity of the modules that can be provided in the suspension separation tank is restricted. Therefore, the quantity of the separation passageway modules 54 provided in the suspension separation tank 38 is also restricted.
On the other hand, if equipments, like scraper, for collecting settling flocculation are provided at the bottom of the suspension separation tank 38, the scraper will be damaged while the rope 55 is broken, the separation passageway modules 54 drop off or sink, collision between the separation passageway modules 54 and the scraper happens.
Besides, it is very difficult to retrieve and recover the separation passageway modules if dropping into the suspension separation tank while installation or maintenance. That is to say, transparency of the suspension in the suspension separation tank is very low. Thus, if the depth of the tank is very deep, the suspension in the tank has to be drained in order to find the drop-off separation passageway module. If the module is very heavy, salvage operation is very difficult. In light of the above-described matter, light-weighted supporting objects with simple structure are required to mount the separation passageway module at the specific position in the suspension separation tank and also to prevent the module from dropping into the tank. Or, a separation passageway module and a separation unit that do not damaged the equipments at the bottom while dropping into the tank are required to meet the requirements of the industry.